BALTIMORE — There has been an increase in COVID cases and hospitalizations, and the CDC reports that there is a dominant new variant of COVID in the United States.
The EG. 5 variant transmits at a faster speed than any variant.
A medical expert told WJZ that although COVID cases are low, COVID-19 deserves not to be ignored.
“COVID remains a very serious disease, especially for parts of the population,” said Dr. Andrew Pekosz, professor and vice chair of the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at Johns Hopkins. “These other people are at risk of getting a serious illness. “disease. “
CDC knows that a new variant, EG. 5, makes up the majority of new COVID-19 infections nationwide.
As of August 5, the EG. 5 variant accounted for 17. 3% of the total number in the United States.
However, Dr. Pekosz said that while this variant is transmitted at a faster rate than other variants, it causes more severe disease.
“We just have to be aware, be vigilant,” Dr. Pekosz said. “We don’t have to overreact to the increase in cases. “
Dr. Pekosz says others who are part of the vulnerable population need to be especially vigilant.
“Although COVID cases have decreased now, we cannot know how severe the disease is,” he said.
Dr. Pekosz said that if you have the bivalent booster vaccine, this EG. 5 variant may escape some of that immune response, especially if you won this booster several months ago.
The first new COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be available by the end of September, once the FDA and CDC approve the new vaccines.
Updated plans protect you from this new variant.